Tony Alvarez joined CWC in 2022 as an Assistant Superintendent. He has worked on several construction projects, and is currently building out interiors at MITRE in McLean, Virginia. He is also a United States Marine Corps veteran, having served for 5 years.

Tony’s Introduction to Construction

Tony Alvarez was brought to the US from El Salvador when he was two years old. While growing up in Rockville, Maryland, he recalls going to construction sites with his father on the weekends. When his dad was working onsite, Tony would talk to the different trades. "Electrical always stuck out to me as significant. After all, everyone needs power," said Tony.

Many of his friends joined the Marine Corps while in high school, which piqued his interest. One month after graduating from Rockville High School, Tony joined the Marine Corps and began boot camp training. Tony expressed, "Fighting for and defending the US felt like a bigger purpose than just myself. This was a huge impact that I could contribute to."

“One of my favorite things about the construction industry is the fact that we can visually show the work that was done and have a story to tell about it. This is the skeleton of the chandelier at the Conrad in Washington DC during the lighting installation.” (Photo Credit: Tony Alvarez and preciosalighting.com)

Construction During His Downtime in Active Duty

In 2012, the US Marine Corps were drawing back from overseas. Tony's chance at active duty was gone after he committed to a reserves contract. As he tried to figure out what to do in his downtime, Tony fondly remembered the electrical construction trade. He secured an apprenticeship, and through hands-on training, hard work, and plenty of motivation, Tony gained more responsibility. Even after many years, he liked that each day always held something new and that he was never doing the same thing for an extended period of time.

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Tony compared the similarities between electrical work and the Marine Corps since he did both simultaneously. "It was very interesting, because for both, I had to be detail-oriented and dedicated. I couldn't miss a day in either occupation; I had to show up," Tony said.

‘Irreverent Warriors’ Preventing Suicide

Tony Alvarez, E-3 Lance Corporal, 0311- Infantry Rifleman - Light Armored Reconnaissance 4/4 Delta Company, Stationed in Quantico, VA - 5 Years Reservist, kneels with his platoon.

“During my time in the Marines, I had many friends come back from war who ended up losing their inner battles and tragically losing their lives to suicide.” This had a significant impact on Tony. It was then that he came across Irreverent Warriors on Instagram, a non-profit organization with a mission to bring veterans together using humor and camaraderie to improve mental health and prevent veteran suicide. Irreverent Warriors’ Nashville chapter helped him connect with many people through meet-ups and hikes, which he found to be very supportive during this time in his life. Tony explained, "Irreverent Warriors is focused on letting people know that they are not alone and can reach out anytime. Being around other people can alter and improve moods and states of mind and possibly even prevent suicide. The camaraderie and humor are therapeutic in a way that doctors and therapists cannot understand - it is built through shared military experiences."

Tony Alvarez & Irreverent Warriors in Nashville, Tennessee, after their hike.

"If anyone comes in contact with a veteran or military personnel that may need the support of Irreverent Warriors, they have a chapter in Washington DC as well as chapters all over the country. Visit the website's calendar to see upcoming events. It has information on how people can get involved. Anyone from veterans to non-veterans can donate funds or volunteer their time to this life-changing organization." Thank you, Tony, and all CWC veterans, for your service.

Military Veterans At CWC

CWC currently employs nine veterans, including Project Managers, Superintendents, Quality Control, and Preconstruction professionals, and actively recruits through several veteran-specific organizations. For the past five years, CWC has supported Luke’s Wings, a Bethesda-based non-profit that provides emergency travel planning services and airplane tickets for the families and loved ones of wounded, ill, and injured service members, veterans, and fallen officers, during hospital recovery and rehabilitation. We are currently working with one of our Project Managers, a veteran, to form an employee resource group (ERG) for colleagues who served, have friends or family who served, and those who feel passionate about supporting the cause.

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